A Classic Vinho Verde Pairing

July 25, 2016 in brunch, review, Food & Drink

Portugal is a relative newcomer to the wine market in the US and as such are generally priced lower than comparable wines from Europe, making them incredible value. Their wines are typically not aged as much and have a fresh, crisp and fruitier note to them. One of my favorites from the country are Vinho Verdes. Literally translated as 'young wines', and originating from the Minho province of North Portugal, they are consumed in the same season as they are bottled. They are one of least known and best crisp Summer value wines you can find this season!

Smorgasburg, Brooklyn - Enjoying my ice-cream sitting on a bench on the boardwalk on the Pier 7 in Brooklyn Heights — Smorgasburg, Brooklyn - Enjoying my ice-cream sitting on a bench on the boardwalk on the Pier 7 in Brooklyn Heights

Smorgasburg, Brooklyn - Scenes of a Modern Food Culture

April 22, 2015 in new york, review, Tips

A couple of weekends ago, as the weather thawed considerably, I finally made it to one of the best known outdoor food markets in the country - Smorgasburg. It has been running popular since 2011, and even extended its very Brooklyn roots to grace the neighboring county of Manhattan. For all that time, I had tried and failed to make a visit largely because I don't like crowds and mostly because I then lived in the less hip Manhattan borough. But, this year shall be hallowed since I made it in the second week of it's operation.

And, what a lovely visit it was! The market runs in different places on Saturday and Sunday. Despite not having visited the Williamsburg one, I am going to stipulate that the one in Brooklyn Heights on Sunday is the best one to be at. Simply because it is in a pier, by the water, a boardwalk and stunning vistas! What more can one possibly want as you leisurely walk about, grab food from different stalls and then mull over how content you are in the moment while overlooking the tall buildings of Downtown Manhattan where some....

A Mystery Up at Stone Barns

January 09, 2015 in review

The first time I heard of Stone Barns was a few years ago when Mike and I were tossing around ideas for a piece I was going to write for Spenser Magazine. But, the timing did not work out with the publishing schedule, that plan got parked and I wrote about Uruguay instead. We attempted to revisit it again later but it quite never came through.

Last Summer, as an excuse to practise my driving skills, patient teacher and I decided to head to the famed farm to table pioneers and see what the fuss was all about. Blue Hill Cafe in NYC and the restaurant up in Stone Barns has been making headlines in the new whole know-your-food movement taking off in the US. The thing that always gets me about these places is ...

Falafels are both common as well as unique across the Middle East. The spices, texture all vary but the freshness of the ingredients is one thing that run common while making it so intensely different from those available in the West. This one … — Falafels are both common as well as unique across the Middle East. The spices, texture all vary but the freshness of the ingredients is one thing that run common while making it so intensely different from those available in the West. This one was in a small stand in a side road in the main Carmel market in Tel-Aviv.

Snapshots of Food in Israel

December 02, 2014 in travel, review

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As a guest of the Israel Ministry of Tourism, I was invited to spend a few days around this country sampling the culture and food. What I experienced was unexpected, amazing and deeply curious. While I stay in the road and continue my journey through Turkey, I find that I am able to put my experiences in Israel in wonderful relational perspective.

I intend to write a longer and more detailed post on the week here when I am back home and able to sort and arrange all the photos I took. In the meantime, I wanted to share some of the scenes I captured through my handy iPhone.

Across the board I was impressed with the leaps the country has made in becoming self-sustaining in agriculture. Blessed with a year round warm climate, they have tamed nature's eccentricities by draining swamps and irrigating arid lands to grow a variety of produce within. Several of the restaurants boast using local ingredients and have a heavy hand with fresh herbs with definitely adds to the allure of the food.

TEL-AVIV

The View from Herod's hotel on the beach. It is the start of the promenade that runs all the way along the shore to Jaffa. Makes for a great running track.

Talk about fresh. In every hotel in Israel, there was a whole honey comb waiting to be scraped onto breakfast yogurt and fruits. Delicious and addictive.

Keeping Kosher I found time again was being leveraged to advantage by Israeli chefs. Although Tel-Aviv is secular in its approach to Jewish cuisine, the culinary school in the city stays strict to the religious rules. That means no cheese with meat.… — Keeping Kosher I found time again was being leveraged to advantage by Israeli chefs. Although Tel-Aviv is secular in its approach to Jewish cuisine, the culinary school in the city stays strict to the religious rules. That means no cheese with meat. The alternative, Tahini foam on this *Lahambajin*

I have never seen so many different types of cured olives! At Carmel Market

Communal lunch at Three Brothers. Run by three brothers this family establishment is an Israeli steakhouse updated to 2014! The ambience is warm and welcoming and the food exasperatingly good. By that I mean, despite being stuffed to the gill with m… — Communal lunch at Three Brothers. Run by three brothers this family establishment is an Israeli steakhouse updated to 2014! The ambience is warm and welcoming and the food *exasperatingly* good. By that I mean, despite being stuffed to the gill with market food, I did fair damage to the spread here!

Perhaps one of the highlights on my dining experiences in the country was in the company of chef Eyal Shani at North Abraxas. Case in point, this family style dish of charcoal grilled and oven finished fresh sea bass that was served with flaming sag… — Perhaps one of the highlights on my dining experiences in the country was in the company of chef Eyal Shani at North Abraxas. Case in point, this family style dish of charcoal grilled and oven finished fresh sea bass that was served with flaming sage and a simple, yet, finger licking good sauce of fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic and fennel.

AKKO and Tiberias

Lunch at Uri Buri was a revelation. Sitting beside the breaking waves in Akko on a stormy day while relishing a multi-course experience of the finest seafood presented in refined and clean dishes was a meal to remember. — Lunch at Uri Buri was a revelation. Sitting beside the breaking waves in Akko on a stormy day while relishing a multi-course experience of the finest seafood presented in refined and clean dishes was a meal to remember.

Fresh squeezed juices are rather the norm in the entire region, I am finding out. In this season of Pomegranates and citrus, there is nothing more refreshing!

Israeli cuisine is not ethnically original but rather is a confluence of its immigrant. Like the Shawarma, an originally Arabic import, it is not rather commonly found in every market in the country. Yet, it is decidedly different in flavor fro… — Israeli cuisine is not ethnically original but rather is a confluence of its immigrant. Like the Shawarma, an originally Arabic import, it is not rather commonly found in every market in the country. Yet, it is decidedly different in flavor from the ones I taste in Turkey.

Although Israel produces a ton of Olive oil (pun intended), it is still a net importer. Here is a traditional olive oil press run by a miller. This being olive harvest season, he is rather busy crushing and pressing. Curiously, the currency of trans… — Although Israel produces a ton of Olive oil (pun intended), it is still a net importer. Here is a traditional olive oil press run by a miller. This being olive harvest season, he is rather busy crushing and pressing. Curiously, the currency of transaction is the oil itself! Harkens back to the age approved system of barter.

Perhaps my highlight of cultural experience in this trip was Tea in a Druze home. A breakaway subset of Muslims, their culture and cuisine is a unique fusion Islamic traditions and local environment. — Perhaps my highlight of cultural experience in this trip was Tea in a Druze home. A breakaway subset of Muslims, their culture and cuisine is a unique fusion Islamic traditions and local environment.

Jerusalem

Chef Moshe Basson was an interesting man to meet. Hailing from a line of seers, he has an almost mystical approach to his food. Focusing on Biblical food, he is highly knowledgeable in many esoteric wild herbs and their roles since time immemorial i… — Chef Moshe Basson was an interesting man to meet. Hailing from a line of seers, he has an almost mystical approach to his food. Focusing on Biblical food, he is highly knowledgeable in many esoteric wild herbs and their roles since time immemorial in the fortunes of mankind. The food at his restaurant, Eucalyptus, was decidedly ethnic but yet had the freshness of being *Original*.

While the Old City market commands most attention, for a food lover, there is no better place than the Machanae Yehuda. Nestled amidst its several raw food, halwa and other stores are small restaurants that have delicious and varied bites. This is t… — While the Old City market commands most attention, for a food lover, there is no better place than the Machanae Yehuda. Nestled amidst its several raw food, halwa and other stores are small restaurants that have delicious and varied bites. This is triple cooked potato pita from *Dwini*. Essentially a pita of fresh fries, it is really anything but pedestrian.

I did indeed save the best for the last. A true revelation in this religious city. Kosher cuisine. I'll confess, I find it appalling. In the best of the Kosher restaurants in NYC, the food is barely palatable. To someone with a fairly advanced palat… — I did indeed save the best for the last. A true revelation in this religious city. Kosher cuisine. I'll confess, I find it appalling. In the best of the Kosher restaurants in NYC, the food is barely palatable. To someone with a fairly advanced palate, it tastes bland and restricted. Yet, Chef David Bitton at the Kind David Hotel in Jerusalem, definitively changed that stereotype. Working within the strictest rules of Kosher cuisine under the nose of the priests he turns the limitations to his advantage. During a meal in his meat restaurant, you barely notice that there was dairy missing, or indeed, spices! A credit to his skill and as much to the ingredients.

For more of my food experiences captured as I travel, follow my Instagram feed.

To see what and where I am eating in Turkey, catch me on Instagram.

For a lighter note and one that is more about the sights, follow Ted as he globe trots!

{Taste} New York: Pickle Shack + Crop to Cup - Brooklyn

October 18, 2014 in new york, restaurants, review

Today, I share a couple of places I love to eat in the Park Slope.

Crop to Cup is a coffee importer and roasting company in that imports raw beans and roasts it to their client's specifications and supply wholesale to Brooklyn Roasting Co and Taylor Maid among others.

Pickle Shack I have mentioned before. But I thought it's unique and distinct burger was deserving of a half post all on its own. The vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurant opened a year ago and is the brain child of Brooklyn Brine, a small scale pickling business, and Dogfish IPA, a NY based brewer.

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